How much can you save?

hostie1985

JoKay wrote: »

Well done Hostie - I'm off to Florida on 1st April! Have a great time!

I'm off to florida on the 31st march. Are you doing all the parks? Dunno if you've got your tickets but theres a website that sell the 'orlando freedom ticket' might be worth a look.

Hostie

bodmil

I'm similar to Tara, I won't compromise on travel. Whether it's to see my BF or fly home, I have to pay last minute tickets, but it's got to be done! I live in a ski resort so instead of paying a few grand for a few weeks I pay the same for a whole season. I pay a lot for good quality kit that I'm at least able to sell on if I don't use it, I'm hoping to get £500 for stuff I have now, fingers crossed that will go onto my total soon. I compromise by living with my Mum in the off season and working overtime, which stops the spending too. I don't go out on the lash and drinking my money away, and would rather spend a day cycling with a picnic than a posh restaurant.
It's nice to treat myself to a nice meal out, but much nicer if I've had a frugal week before hand!

This month has been very poor for me, I had 10 weeks off over Christmas, so a small salary and no snow means I might have drunk a bit of money away afterall! £877 saved this month, now at £55,500. Am realising that a reliable car is needed as I move back to the UK, so that total is going to have to take a hit, bums.

viv.

Another £100 saved so grand total so far £1753.33 so well on my way to my £2500 target

Driving_Soon

Another chuck added to the savings, I now have £24,400.00! Not long to go till my £25,000 target!

Barros

not had time to update my sig but at around £2k for this year so far now

JoKay_2

I've just downloaded an iPhone app which enables me to enter my income (in my case the money we set aside for petrol, groceries, going out etc) and the period of time it needs to last (ie, 1 month).

It then calculates how much you have available that week, which then updates itself when you add in your spent.

I quite like the look of it - my problem is keeping our accounts on track and not going overspent, especially in this area, so fingers crossed it will help!

UN17ED

JoKay wrote: »

I've just downloaded an iPhone app which enables me to enter my income (in my case the money we set aside for petrol, groceries, going out etc) and the period of time it needs to last (ie, 1 month).

It then calculates how much you have available that week, which then updates itself when you add in your spent.

I quite like the look of it - my problem is keeping our accounts on track and not going overspent, especially in this area, so fingers crossed it will help!

Hi, What is the name of the app you downloaded?

JoKay_2

UN17ED wrote: »

Hi, What is the name of the app you downloaded?

Its the Student Budget Planner - free, of course! Its not without its quirks, and I have only been using it for 3 days, but so far so good - its telling me I'm £33 overspent this week already..!

JoKay_2

Ok, the £40 for food this week has been taken out of the hole in the wall - so far on the shopping list I have coffee, gravy and milk... can I navigate the sm and come out with only those.?

ljaneyr

BeachCat wrote: »

Hi everyone,

This is my thought for the day- although we all want to save money for our various long term goals, is it always worth 'going without' today in order to get there? I guess it's the whole 'living for the moment' idea vs planning for the future. But is it always worth having a lower quality of life now when you might get hit by a bus tomorrow and never get to enjoy that money you saved?

Although I have long term goals of buying a house and saving up to get married with my OH, I still want to be able to enjoy today and be able to e.g. eat out at restaurants and go on holiday as I believe I would regret not enjoying my 20s when I'm in my 30s (even if I do have the house, marriage and kids I want to save for!).

Basically, how do you find a balance?

All opinions/advice welcome!

This is something I struggle with from time to time. Now is one of those times! I guess like others I compromise on some things and not on others. I have a strict weekly budget, currently £50, which includes some food (I live with my OH's parents and don't feel I can add to their shopping list), and all other expenses except petrol, direct debits and rent. £50 sounds like a lot and I do try to spend as little as possible but some weeks it's impossible to keep within that. However, if I have any left over I put that towards something I want/need at the time. The thing I can't compromise on is going to gigs and festivals. This year is going to be expensive as my OH is playing at two of the larger festivals so I am buying weekend tickets as they only give day passes for guests. But I am saving all extra cash, £2 coins and money I get from private tutoring and should easily pay for all tickets and expenses. That way it seems separate from my regular savings.

Recently I have been feeling really fed up with my clothes. I have cleared out all the rubbish and stuff I don't wear but there is not a lot left! Instead of buying more rubbish I have decided to allow myself between £30-£50 a month to spend on a more expensive item, as these are the ones that last and that I still wear, so they seem to be better value. I review my spending all the time so I may decide this is too much, but at the moment it makes me feel better! I wish charity shops were any good down here but they're not!

JoKay wrote: »

Ok, the £40 for food this week has been taken out of the hole in the wall - so far on the shopping list I have coffee, gravy and milk... can I navigate the sm and come out with only those.?

If you're like me you will remember a lot more thing you 'need' when you get there!

Savings update: I managed to save a modest £380 in Feb (£80 towards car/dog expenses and £300 towards deposit) as my pay was low because the xmas hols took up most of december.
Payday was good this month but a lot of unexpected costs mean I am only able to save £330 towards the deposit at the start of March but I hope to add to this by the end of the month